The 2014 Ukrainian crisis has highlighted the pro-Russia stances of some European countries, such as Hungary and Greece, and of some European parties, mostly on the far-right of the political spectrum. They see themselves as victims of the EU “technocracy” and liberal moral values, and look for new allies to denounce the current “mainstream” and its austerity measures. These groups found new and unexpected allies in Russia. As seen from the Kremlin, those who denounce Brussels and its submission to U.S. interests are potential allies of a newly re-assertive Russia that sees itself as the torchbearer of conservative values. Predating the Kremlin’s networks, the European connections of Alexander Dugin, the fascist geopolitician and proponent of neo-Eurasianism, paved the way for a new pan-European illiberal ideology based on an updated reinterpretation of fascism. Although Dugin and the European far-right belong to the same ideological world and can be seen as two sides of the same coin, the alliance between Putin’s regime and the European far-right is more a marriage of convenience than one of true love. This unique book examines the European far-right’s connections with Russia and untangles this puzzle by tracing the ideological origins and individual paths that have materialized in this permanent dialogue between Russia and Europe.

Part IV: Conclusions: The European Far Right at Moscow’s Service?Chapter 10: Far-Right Election Observation Monitors in the Service of the Kremlin’s Foreign Policy, Anton Shekhovtsov

This is a timely and topical collection of research. . . .[The articles] provide the reader with an interesting snapshot of the current political relationships between the Russian state, Eurasianist proponents, and specific far right circles. . . .The shifting of international politics into a distinctively multi-polar phase guarantees the ongoing importance of Russia as an international actor and we need to keep developing our analysis of its behaviour. This includes being aware of weak critiques of it as either a fascist, or anti-imperialist state. This book is useful in delving into this through an oblique angle, its relationship with its own indigenous far right movements. — Actually Existing Barbarism

Against this sad background, the appearance of this volume, edited by Marlene Laruelle, perhaps the world’s foremost researcher of neo- and classical Eurasianism, is highly welcomed. Laruelle’s essay collection is especially valuable as it combines a wide range of specific topics with particularly rich descriptive case analyses. . . .This volume’s collection compiled by Laruelle fills a whole number of gaps in the mosaic of Russia’s increasing integration into transnational extreme-right-wing networks. These well-researched papers provide…sufficient starting points for more directed research into specific episodes in neo-Eurasianism’s relationship to the countries covered here. . . .Laruelle and her authors are to be congratulated for having, with this outstanding volume, given a crucial impulse to the emergence of a new sub-discipline of Russian nationalism studies that could be labelled ‘neo-Eurasianism studies.’— Slavic Review

Many of [the book’s] chapters provide a good overview of Far Right developments in European countries. As a case in point, Vügar İmanbeyli’s analysis of Turkish debates…is excellent in showing the facets of Turkish ‘Eurasianism’ as this ideology has appeared in recent decades. Similarly, Sofie Tipaldou provides a helpful, thorough presentation of how the Greek Golden Dawn has built on its neo-Nazi roots to acquire increased public presence.— Journal of Soviet and Post-Soviet Politics and Society

Marlene Laruelle has assembled an impressive team of authors, who show that Alexander Dugin’s Eurasianism is best understood as an offshoot of the European Far Right, and not a product of Russia’s distinctive cultural heritage. This makes for an interesting contribution to the far reaches of the history of European political thought.— Peter Rutland, Wesleyan University

This collection contributes significantly to the burgeoning international field of comparative fascism studies, while also allowing some of the inner metapolitical logic of Putin's foreign policy to become transparent and intelligible. An important book which should be read by all those who claim to be experts on the machinations of contemporary Russia, and which finally puts some substance into vapid discussions of its 'fascism'.— Roger Griffin, Oxford Brookes University

This well-designed volume fills a crucial gap in our understanding of the ideological (and sometimes personal) ties connecting Eurasianist philosophers in Russia (especially the infamous Alexander Dugin) with surging anti-immigrant and far-right ultranationalist political parties in Europe and Turkey. Marlene Laruelle assembles an international cast of experts to examine these questions with depth and nuance, focusing on implications for Putin’s Kremlin and the evolving international order. A boon for scholars, this work will also serve as a reference for journalists and other analysts trying to understand the complexities of the Russian-European relationship today.— Kimberly Marten, Barnard College, Columbia University

Eurasianism and the European Far Right

Reshaping the Europe–Russia Relationship

Hardback

Paperback

eBook

Summary

Summary

The 2014 Ukrainian crisis has highlighted the pro-Russia stances of some European countries, such as Hungary and Greece, and of some European parties, mostly on the far-right of the political spectrum. They see themselves as victims of the EU “technocracy” and liberal moral values, and look for new allies to denounce the current “mainstream” and its austerity measures. These groups found new and unexpected allies in Russia. As seen from the Kremlin, those who denounce Brussels and its submission to U.S. interests are potential allies of a newly re-assertive Russia that sees itself as the torchbearer of conservative values. Predating the Kremlin’s networks, the European connections of Alexander Dugin, the fascist geopolitician and proponent of neo-Eurasianism, paved the way for a new pan-European illiberal ideology based on an updated reinterpretation of fascism. Although Dugin and the European far-right belong to the same ideological world and can be seen as two sides of the same coin, the alliance between Putin’s regime and the European far-right is more a marriage of convenience than one of true love. This unique book examines the European far-right’s connections with Russia and untangles this puzzle by tracing the ideological origins and individual paths that have materialized in this permanent dialogue between Russia and Europe.

Part IV: Conclusions: The European Far Right at Moscow’s Service?Chapter 10: Far-Right Election Observation Monitors in the Service of the Kremlin’s Foreign Policy, Anton Shekhovtsov

Reviews

Reviews

This is a timely and topical collection of research. . . .[The articles] provide the reader with an interesting snapshot of the current political relationships between the Russian state, Eurasianist proponents, and specific far right circles. . . .The shifting of international politics into a distinctively multi-polar phase guarantees the ongoing importance of Russia as an international actor and we need to keep developing our analysis of its behaviour. This includes being aware of weak critiques of it as either a fascist, or anti-imperialist state. This book is useful in delving into this through an oblique angle, its relationship with its own indigenous far right movements. — Actually Existing Barbarism

Against this sad background, the appearance of this volume, edited by Marlene Laruelle, perhaps the world’s foremost researcher of neo- and classical Eurasianism, is highly welcomed. Laruelle’s essay collection is especially valuable as it combines a wide range of specific topics with particularly rich descriptive case analyses. . . .This volume’s collection compiled by Laruelle fills a whole number of gaps in the mosaic of Russia’s increasing integration into transnational extreme-right-wing networks. These well-researched papers provide…sufficient starting points for more directed research into specific episodes in neo-Eurasianism’s relationship to the countries covered here. . . .Laruelle and her authors are to be congratulated for having, with this outstanding volume, given a crucial impulse to the emergence of a new sub-discipline of Russian nationalism studies that could be labelled ‘neo-Eurasianism studies.’— Slavic Review

Many of [the book’s] chapters provide a good overview of Far Right developments in European countries. As a case in point, Vügar İmanbeyli’s analysis of Turkish debates…is excellent in showing the facets of Turkish ‘Eurasianism’ as this ideology has appeared in recent decades. Similarly, Sofie Tipaldou provides a helpful, thorough presentation of how the Greek Golden Dawn has built on its neo-Nazi roots to acquire increased public presence.— Journal of Soviet and Post-Soviet Politics and Society

Marlene Laruelle has assembled an impressive team of authors, who show that Alexander Dugin’s Eurasianism is best understood as an offshoot of the European Far Right, and not a product of Russia’s distinctive cultural heritage. This makes for an interesting contribution to the far reaches of the history of European political thought.— Peter Rutland, Wesleyan University

This collection contributes significantly to the burgeoning international field of comparative fascism studies, while also allowing some of the inner metapolitical logic of Putin's foreign policy to become transparent and intelligible. An important book which should be read by all those who claim to be experts on the machinations of contemporary Russia, and which finally puts some substance into vapid discussions of its 'fascism'.— Roger Griffin, Oxford Brookes University

This well-designed volume fills a crucial gap in our understanding of the ideological (and sometimes personal) ties connecting Eurasianist philosophers in Russia (especially the infamous Alexander Dugin) with surging anti-immigrant and far-right ultranationalist political parties in Europe and Turkey. Marlene Laruelle assembles an international cast of experts to examine these questions with depth and nuance, focusing on implications for Putin’s Kremlin and the evolving international order. A boon for scholars, this work will also serve as a reference for journalists and other analysts trying to understand the complexities of the Russian-European relationship today.— Kimberly Marten, Barnard College, Columbia University